UNESCO warns that 244 million youngsters are out of college worldwide

Of the 244 million children aged between 6 and 18 years out of school, more than 40% (98 million) live in Sub-Saharan Africa

About 244 million children are still out of school in the world, a number that has been falling for 20 years, although it remains worrying, informed this Thursday, 1, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

“No one can accept this situation. Education is a right and we must do everything possible to ensure its respect for every child,” he said. Audrey Azoulaysecretary general of the Paris-based organization.

Of the 244 million children aged between 6 and 18 years out of school, more than 40% (98 million) live in Sub-Saharan Africaespecially in Nigeria (20.2), Ethiopia (10.5), the Democratic Republic of Congo (5.9) and Kenya (1.8), according to UNESCO.

Although in 2000 the situation affected girls more than boys (+2.5% in primary education, +3.9% in secondary education), the difference between the genders was “reduced to zero”, points out UNESCO, warning , however, for “regional disparities”.

Source: AFP